In response to the tougher new restrictions they will face on the signing of players from abroad once the post-Brexit regulations come into force on January 1st, a number of English clubs are looking to forge new partnerships with foreign sides.
They are following the lead pf Manchester City, who have nine other clubs within their City Football Group, whilst Chelsea, Leicester and Brighton have also established strategic football alliances.
The move is prompted by the new rules which place much greater emphasis on who their transfer targets play for and with, and how much first-team football they have played.
From January 1st, any foreign player wanting to sign for an English club will need to score a minimum of 15 points before they are eligible to come to the UK, with points wared based on three factors
- The quality of the selling club;
- Their league position; and
- Their progression in Europe.
International appearances and youth and senior level will also be considered.
Andy is an exiled English football fan living in Cyprus. He loves all sports but football is his abiding passion, and he still has dreams every now and then about scoring the winning goal in a Wembley Cup Final, even though his playing days are long gone. He follows most major leagues, across Europe at least, and has a favoured team in each. When he’s not watching, listening, reading or downloading podcasts about football, he spend his time worrying about his beloved Arsenal.